lcionline Chapter 120 Confrontation
Chapter 120 Confrontation
??
The news of the death of Wang Daoji, the guerrilla commander, deeply discouraged all the generals. Today, not only did a guerrilla-level officer die, but more than ten other officers of the rank of centurion also perished. Two waves of attacks, totaling seven or eight thousand troops—essentially the entire main force—had failed to capture the enemy camp and suffered two or three thousand casualties. Such heavy losses certainly warranted a "disastrous defeat."
He Rubin was covered in cold sweat. With such heavy losses, if he couldn't win in the end, he would have a hard time explaining himself to the governor and the court. He decided to commit his own troops and personal guards to break through the enemy camp in one fell swoop.
Just as he was about to order the drums to be beaten, an aide advised, "Our army has suffered a setback, and our morale is low today. If we continue to attack, we will only injure our soldiers. Commander, you must not act rashly. Fortunately, our army still has strength. Let's withdraw for now and make further plans."
These words deflated He Rubin, who waved his hand weakly and ordered the retreat.
The sound of the retreat gong echoed throughout the battlefield. In fact, even without the gong, the government troops' offensive had already collapsed, and the wounded soldiers who could still walk limped back.
As the smoke gradually dissipated from the battlefield, only then could both sides clearly see the results of the nearly two-hour battle: the trenches were filled with corpses, some piled up to half a person's height, and the attack route to the earthen fort was littered with the mutilated bodies and severed limbs of officers and soldiers, with blood flowing like small rivers.
On the earthen fortress, the team members were almost completely exhausted. The simple shooting was not too physically demanding, but the prolonged and intense hand-to-hand combat had drained their strength. If the government troops were to commit more manpower, the outcome would be unpredictable. Seeing the government troops retreating, they had no time to cheer and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
Looking at the Ming army's camp opposite him, Liu Ye said worriedly, "I wonder if the government troops will attack again?"
Shi Ying walked up to him, wiped the blood off his face. He had also been involved in the battle and killed several government soldiers. He said, "The government army's two attacks almost caused us to lose our position, but we also suffered heavy losses and our morale was dampened. At least for today, we are unable to launch another attack."
"I hope so." Liu Ye looked at the situation inside the earthen fort and felt a wave of fear.
Real war isn't a video game; having advanced weapons doesn't guarantee victory. I was too overconfident before. The disparity in numbers was too great, and the enemy was a relatively elite force. Aside from overwhelming long-range firepower, melee combat was extremely risky. Deploying all one thousand of my men into the battle without even a reserve was a cardinal sin in warfare. Had it not been for the advantageous position of the fortress, we might have collapsed under the siege of several times our numbers.
He told Shi Ying, "Whether the government troops come or not, we must be prepared. Take stock of the casualties, replenish the cannons and guns with ammunition, and leave half of the men to rest. They will be rotated out in half an hour."
Soon, the casualties were tallied: the guards had more than 100 dead and more than 200 wounded. Most of the casualties were caused by arrows, and the rest were caused by hand-to-hand combat. The damage caused by Ming army firearms was almost zero.
Liang Xiaoming exclaimed, "This casualty exchange ratio is already astonishing. We only suffered 300 casualties, while the Ming army's casualties are probably zero."
Looking at the corpses of the guards lying on the ground, Liu Ye gritted his teeth and said, "After this battle, we must expand our forces by any means necessary. With so few people, every battle is like walking a tightrope; defeat would have devastating consequences."
In the Ming army camp, He Rubin sat dejectedly in his tent, asking his advisors and trusted generals, "I didn't expect the enemy to be so formidable not only in naval warfare but also in land infantry combat. What strategies do you all have?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances. Today's battle had taken everyone by surprise. What they thought would be an easy victory turned out to be an extremely tough nut to crack. Two consecutive attacks had been repelled, and they had even lost a guerrilla general. The Red Barbarian cannons, which they had held high hopes for before the battle, were completely suppressed by the enemy. If they were to continue fighting, it would simply be a matter of copying the same tactics and throwing lives at the enemy; there were no other strategies to be found.
Tong Yizhen, the military commander of Chaozhou, advised, "I believe we should establish a fortified camp and hold it." He was among the first to attack and almost lost a cavalry captain. He was very impressed by the enemy's firearms. "No matter how strong the enemy's artillery is, if our main camp retreats four miles, they may not be able to reach us. We have a large number of soldiers. We can offer them heavy rewards to recruit more brave men to cut off the enemy's supply lines. In time, the enemy will surely fall into chaos without a fight."
Tong Yizhen believed that the stalemate between the two sides, with each establishing fortified camps, was advantageous to his side. After all, his main army had the support of the entire province, while the rebels only had the small territory of Bofu. Moreover, his side had blocked the route to Lingao County, and the rebel forces were all concentrated in their camps, making supplies difficult to obtain over time. If the stalemate continued for several months, the rebels would inevitably break out of control without a fight once their food supplies began to run out.
This was a prudent and cautious strategy. He Rubin thought about it and realized that a direct attack would result in too many losses and might not even succeed. A prolonged siege was a better option. Although it would be slower to take effect, it was more reliable.
Huizhou Military Commander Yan Zungao also said, "Commander Tong's method is good. However, in a long-term stalemate with the enemy, food supplies are the most important thing, and we must ensure that the supply lines are open."
He Rubin nodded. Once the army runs out of food, morale will waver, and collapse will be imminent. The grain depots set up in Shishan along the route from Qiongshan to Chengmai and Lingao are extremely important. As long as the grain depots operate smoothly, the grain transported from Qiongshan can meet the needs of the government troops.
He adopted Tong Yizhen's suggestion, retreating the main camp four miles to maintain a stalemate with the rebels. He dispatched a trusted advisor to Qiongshan County to oversee the transport of grain supplies, and another advisor to Shishan to manage the grain transfer. He also wrote a letter to the Governor-General's Office of Zhaoqing, reporting that the government troops had lifted the siege of Lingao and achieved many victories, but the rebels were holding out with firearms in their fortified camp, and the government troops had repeatedly failed to break through. They were preparing to besiege the rebels in their camp and requested that a dozen more cannons be brought in.
On the earthen fort, everyone saw that the government troops did not launch an attack, but instead broke camp and retreated several miles to set up a new camp, seemingly preparing for a protracted war.
Lin San analyzed, "The government troops have lost their fighting spirit and dare not fight again. We can take this opportunity to rest and regroup. However, the enemy is still numerous and powerful. A long-term siege would be disadvantageous for us."
Yan Guang said, "If this stalemate continues, we will be the ones who suffer. The government troops have the support of the entire Guangdong province. If we huddle in this earthen fort, we will eventually run out of ammunition and food."
"Are we just going to let them lead us by the nose?" Liu Ye was extremely unwilling at this moment. "Is it possible for us to take the initiative?"
Shi Ying shook his head: "Defending a stockade and fighting in the open are two different things. After all, we are too few in number. The government troops can afford to suffer losses, but we cannot. This is all we have. If anything goes wrong, it will be an irreversible end."
Liang Xiaoming sighed, "Is there really no other way for us?"
"However, it's not like there's no way to deal with it," Lin San added.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ye perked up: "Oh? What's the solution? Tell me quickly."
"Although the government troops are said to have the support of the entire province, whether the grain and fodder are requisitioned from Qiongshan or shipped from Guangzhou, they all have to be transported from Qiongshan to Lingao. The post roads in Qiongzhou Prefecture are in a dilapidated state, and how much can be transported each day by carrying it on shoulders and by hand? It is necessary to set up a grain depot or something similar along the way to transfer the grain and fodder, which can save the journey from Qiongshan and ensure timely supply to the army."
Everyone's interest was piqued. Liu Ye's eyes lit up as he stared at Lin San.
Lin San continued, "Therefore, as long as we find the supply depot, defeat the garrison, and burn the supplies, the government troops will inevitably fall into chaos. At this time, we can take the opportunity to attack, and the government troops will surely collapse and flee, thus breaking their siege plan."
Where will the grain distribution center be located?
"Based on the distance, it should be between Qiongshan and Chengmai, slightly closer to Chengmai, at a higher elevation, and close to the post road. There aren't many places that meet these conditions. Send a team to search along the route around the government army camp, and we're sure to find it."
Liu Ye asked seriously, "The task of finding the grain depot is best left to you. Are you willing to take on this important mission?"
Lin San knew his chance to make a contribution had come, so he cupped his hands and said, "I dare not disobey."
"Very good. Find their supply depot, burn their grain, and we can lift the siege by the government troops. Whether we can repel the government troops' encirclement this time depends entirely on you."
That night, Lin San led two hundred guards and quietly left the earthen fort under the cover of darkness, bypassing the government army camp and heading towards Qiongshan along the post road.